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BLOOD GLUCOSE METERS AND STRIPS

What They Do: Blood glucose meters (BGMs) measure a person’s blood sugar level. To use a meter, users insert a test strip, prick their fingers with a lancing device to draw blood, and then apply a small drop of blood onto a test strip. The meter then gives a blood glucose reading in mg/dl (US standard) or mmol/l (European standard). A blood sugar level of under 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/l) is typically considered hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). A level of over 180 mg/dl (10 mmol/l) is considered hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are potentially dangerous situations where blood sugars are out of normal range and can be addressed using fast-acting carbohydrates (in the case of a low value) or insulin (in the case of a high value).